unproductive
Britishadjective
-
(often foll by of) not productive of (anything)
-
not producing goods and services with exchange value
Other Word Forms
- unproductively adverb
- unproductiveness noun
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By focusing on the future and helping her do the same, you can avoid sliding into an unproductive and unpleasant dynamic.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026
The best news of all is about the place where jobs were not created at all—at one particularly unproductive and highly indebted enterprise.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
Rangers sacked Russell Martin after 17 games on 5 October and held unproductive talks with former manager Steven Gerrard, Rohl and ex-Ibrox defender Kevin Muscat.
From BBC • Oct. 20, 2025
Robert Woods, WR, Steelers: The former USC and Rams star with 683 career NFL catches had a poor offseason in Pittsburgh after a largely unproductive 2024 season with Houston.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025
Miranda whined to the girls about how Gibbler dragged her around in the back of his Packard whenever he went to check out a strike or stare down an unproductive tool pusher.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
